As you go about your daily routine, life can become a little monotonous at times. To break up the dross and drone of everyday life, especially after work I like to go and get a fix of some live music and hopefully take some photos. Over the years I've seen many bands of many different standards and at different stages of progression, and it interesting to follow those bands to see how they interpret what they see or do into their music. A few years ago I came across a guy named York. Simon York to be exact. His musical knowledge and voice blew me away, and when I got a chance to go and photo and see him live I was even more blown away. And it was at that point that I started to understand how the music business is and also to understand that she takes no prisoners. There are those in life that try and try and are so unfortunate not to have that lucky break. There are also those in life that are poor in what they do, but get a lucky break off the back of something big and make it as you sit and wonder how the fuck did that happen.

Having spoken to Simon on many occasions, I know the background to his plight. He has had the hard lesson spelt out to him. He has also had some dark times because of the beast he has decided to do business with. This shows in his work. Mr York has delivered a fair catalogue of not just his own work as a solo artist but also under the Luxury Stranger banner. If he wanted to send his listener away to a world that he has created and at the same time had created for him, then he has done well. There are some parts of this new album that he quite clearly wants you to be a part of and he willingly invites you into it and equally, although the music and lyrics are by his own hand. It is clear that he sits uncomfortable with certain issues and wants you to enjoy the ride as well as he wants you to enjoy his suffering. Simon tells a story that seems easy for him to tell but hard for him to understand and accept.

This is what makes the new Luxury Stranger album his best work to date. It is as dark as you want it to be at any one time. The music now is stronger than any of Luxury Stranger's former offerings, and there is a different dimension to it. Rather than keep you in the confines of a deep intimidating forest, there is an element which encourages to take you closer to the edge and safety or to lose it all together if you want. The rawness is still there but it is rawness with an educated dagger. Think of early U2 when they were still good. This is of that calibre. The dark moody tracks that haunt the live act are here, and he has done well to transport them to the studio.

When the darkness falls, the light is a labyrinth. Simon York has the ability to invite and show you a glimpse into an alternate state and whether he feels guilty or not he will leave you there in your own Hellraiser, if you let him. Deeply, darkly marvellous!

Long awaited third album from Nottingham post-punk act Luxury Stranger, which finds front man Simon York moving down darker roads than before but with occasional elements of light

Luxury Stranger:Interview Part 1

In a frank two part interview with Simon York, the front man with Nottingham-based alternative rockers Luxury Stranger, he speaks about his band's career, his anger with the music industry and their forthcoming third album